Electric switch



Dec. 28 1926. 1,612,123

P. P. HORNI ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Nov. 1'7 1922 HHIIIIIIIE INVENTOYR 279% ATTOR @Y provide a holding means or stop mechanism tare PAUL P. HORNI, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed November 17, 1922.. Serial No. 601,454.

This invention relates to an improved electric switch which can be in the form of an ordinary knife switch, but which is particularly adapted for use in controllers,

selective switches, and the like, in which frequent changes of connections are made, this switch being adapted to withstand constant shifting of contacts.

The invention is designed to provide a controller or switch of this kind in which the blades and the jaws of the contact members will establish easy and complete con tact, even though, through lack of adjustment, imperfections or wear through use, the jaws and blades are adjusted in operation so as to form suitable contact without undue strain on the parts.

The invention is designed to provide a switch in which the contact parts are adapted to be easily and quickly removed and replaced by others, and a switch in which, after such replacement, the parts do not need any readjustment.

The invention is further designed to for maintaining the switch in its various positions without accidental displacement, which holding means is constructed so as to sufliciently hold the device and at the same time eject therefrom greases, dirt and other matter which may ordinarily interfere with its operation.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a controller made according to my invention, with, the shield or cover thereof shown in section. Figure 2 is a section on line 22 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged edge view of one of the posts with the contact jaws thereon, the lower part of the jaws and the adjacent part of the post being shown in section. Figure 4' is aperspective view of the lower part of one of the jaws. Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the jaws can move on the post. Figure 6 isa perspective view of a block and blade which are mounted on the shaft of the 0011-. troller, the blade being shown separated from the block, and Figure 7 is a detail perspective ofthe jaws as used in my invention, which jaws are shownas applied to an ordinary knife switch.

It will be evident that this invention can he applied to different forms of switches, but in order to, clearly illustrate I have suitable form of handle 16 on the outside of the controller, the shaft having a member. 17 which acts as a coupling between the handle and the insulated sleeve 18, which insulated sleeve carries the blades of the controller, in the form shown the blades 19 and 20 being secured to one block 21, and the blades 22 being secured to the other of said blocks 21, such sets of blades being placed at anangle to each other, so that when the blade 20 is out of contact with its jaws, the blades 22 are in contact with the jaws, and the blade 19 is made in the forin'ot a segment so that it transmits from one of the posts and jaws attached thereto to any other of the selected jaws, according to the rotation of the shaft 15, the form of block shown in detail in Figure 6 having the side flanges 23, the blades having ends 24 to fit a ainst the faces of the flanges, each of'the b ades and the flanges having holes 25 through which screws are passed to detachably secure the blades 26 in position, so that if they become nuts 28 which are also used to hold down a connecting conducting strip 29, shown in Figure 1, to carry current from one block to the other.

Opposite each of the blades I arrange a pair of jaws which are supported on a suitable support, and in the form shown I illustrate a post 30 opposite each blade, which post has a pair of jaws 31, these jaws being mounted so that they can rock horizontally, swing in a vertical plan'e,'and tilt, in fact. to a limited extent inany direction from their normal position, since they are loosely fitted on the post and can rock thereon.

Asimple manner of mounting the'blades is by means of the pins 32, these pins passing loosely through the jaws and also passing lid through the post, since the jaws are on opposite sides of their respective posts, and the outward movement of the jaws relative to each other and to the posts can be limited by suitable means, such as the cotter pins 33.

The jaws are L-shaped, that is, they have two arms which are substantially at right angles, one of said arms projecting beyond the front end of the post and forming a contact jaw and the two jaws cooperating-to receive a blade. The other of said arms is provided with a yielding means, such as the spring 34, which bears against one of these jaws and against one of the pins by means of the collar 35, which bears, in turn, against the cotter pin 36, so that the jaw is held normally and yieldingly in its innermost position with the contact end inclined slightly inward when a blade is not between the aws, such forward or inner end of the contact part of the jaws being so disposed on account of the protruding partor rocking member with which each of the jaws is supplied and on which each jaw rocks and tilts, and such protruding art or member can be disposed at any suita le point, but I find that the preferred place is on the lower outer edge of each jaw, and it can be formed by simply turning in such corner, as shown at 37 as will be clear from Figures 3 and 4.

With this arrangement the jaws adapt themselves readily to a lack of alignment of the respective contact parts, due either to faulty manufacture, wear or warping, long blades, such as the blade 19, sometimes be' coming warped or being poorly finished so that all parts do not swing in the same plane.

If the parts are aligned, but out of their respective planes, in other words, if one of the blades should be parallel with but not in line with a post of a pair of jaws, the jaws can move together at their contact ends in the same direction, as shown in section in Figure 5 at a, they can swing to one side and remain parallel, as at Z) in thesaid figure, or they can-swing to the other side and remain parallel, as shown at e in the same figure. In fact, they can rock slightly, so that the contact ends of the jaws move in a horizontal plane either together in the same direction or are spread apart by the insertion of the blade between them. hey can swing tothe right or left, due to their loose connection on the pins 32, and remain parallel while so swinging, since there is a clearance-on thefront end of the lower part, due to the protruding or projecting part 37, and the top parts can also swing outward with the parts 37 as their fulcrums, so that the jaws adjust.

are insufficient and 'do'not provide enough surface for carrying the current from the jaws to the post, I may place a ribbon 39 connecting. a jaw to-the binding post at 39, these ribbons being flexible and not materially affecting the flexibility and movement of the jaw to which it is attached.

To hold the. post and these blades in adj usted position I provide a suitable stop member, and I illustrate it arranged in the socket all) on the base 10, into which the holdor 41 moves, being normally held upward by a spring 42 and being formed as a cup on its top end, into which the ball 43 is held, the ball 43 being engaged by the recessed part 4.4 in the member 17, so thatwhen the ball is in the recess the shaft is held in that pomoved, and when it moves it rotates the ha 1 43, such rotation being insured by'recessing the projecting parts between the recesses 44, as at 45, so that a considerable surface of the ball is engaged to positively rotate it. The recesses 44 are of course, spaced apart so that each one determines the proper position the shaft is to be in when a blade is engaging its respective jaws and to prevent the shaft supporting the blades to be left in intermediate positions the projections 52 between the recesses are rounded so that the ball will always have a tendency to force the'shaft to a contact position. This is desirable because a switch might be carelessly left where it does not quitemake complete contact and not onl would a trafic post or other article control ed by the switch, be improperly operated, but it would cause arcr' ing which would soon cause damage to the blades and jaws of the switch. I place slits 46 in the cup part of the holder near the bottom of the cup, so that when the ball rotates, grease, dirt, metallic dust and other material is forced out of' the cup throu h thesev slits, and there is no chance'of t e parts becoming gummed to an extent to make their operation diflicult, since the ball, in every movement, acts to eject anything that accumulates in the bottom of the cup.

In Figure 7 I show a modified form in which I illustrate how, the jaws can be adapted for use in a knife switch. In this view I show the blade 47, and the jaws 31 are similar to the jaws previously described, except that their extreme ends are tapered, as at 48, instead of the upper and lower edges, as in the previous term, the posts being shown at 49 and having the flanged the inner faces of the opposed arms of the.

In this construction the op jaws forming contact faces, and the others of said arms having a projection at their ends on. which the jaws can rock, pins fitting loosely through the jaws and passing through the posts and having means thereon for limiting the outward movement of the jaws, and yielding means near the protruding portions of the jaws for holding them in normal position.

2. In a switch, a post, a pair of jaws flanking the post, the jaws being t-shaped, the inner faces of the opposed arms of the jaws forming contact faces, and the others of said arms having a projection at their ends on which the jaws can rock, pins fitting loosely through the jaws and passing through the post and having means thereon for limiting the outward movement of the jaws, and a spring hearing on one of said jaws and on the pin nearest the projection on said jaws for holding the jaws at their normal innermost position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, have hereto set my hand, this 14th day of November, 1922.

PAUL P. HORNI. 

